


Flash of Magic

by TobiasGray



Category: Magic: The Gathering (Card Game)
Genre: Flash Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29283519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TobiasGray/pseuds/TobiasGray
Summary: A collection of Magic The Gathering inspired flash fiction. Updated irregularly, but open for requests!





	1. Gift of the Orzhova

She stood stock still. It wasn't her first time in the church of Orzhova after hours but she was used to being the only one there. 

She had come here to beseech the ghost lords to take pity on her and give her a life , her father had been arrested and sentenced to death by the Boros Legion when they had gone mad with power. 

She had nobody left and figured if she could have just her basic needs met then she would do just fine at the church. She would be quiet and she wouldn't ever want to eat more than her fair share. She has heard how the church punishes those who have the sign of gluttony. 

She tried to leave as quietly as she has arrived but a strong hand clasped her shoulder. 

She locked eyes with a scion, one of the ruling elite of the church and the closest to the Ghost Council. 

She cocked her head as if listening to someone. 

"Child, do you seek the comforts that only the Church of Orzhova can provide?" The scion inquired. 

"I...I do." The young girl said. 

The scion's mouth turned up slightly at the corners as she listened again. 

"Our undead lords have requested a challenge of your faith. You shall jump from the highest point. Should your courage fail you, the church will not welcome you. Should you sprout wings and fly, you will never strike the ground." 

The girl's face drifted upward. She wasn't even sure how she would get to the highest point, let alone what it would feel like to be up there. 

There was a sudden rush of air and she found herself teetering on the edge of a high stone precipice. Down below she could see the scion watching patiently. 

Would the scion even bother to save her life? Or would her lack of courage be enough to convince the scion she deserves to die. 

She took a deep breath. If nothing else, if this fails she'll be rejoined with her family. All of whom had been taken away from her by disease and war. If nothing else, she would have peace. 

She steeled her resolve and leaped from the edge of the stone wall. The moment her feet left the stone she felt something sturdy catch the wind and she felt herself glide forward, she twisted slightly to look back and saw that she had grown magnificent wings of stained glass that sparkled and glinted with a multitude of color. 

She drifted down to the scion. When her feet touched the ground, the wings slowly faded even though she felt like she'd be able to call them whenever she needed them. 

"You have been found worthy. Tell me your name child and we shall find a place for you here." The scion said. 

"Aleksa Rinvok." The girl said quietly. 

"Come, child. Your future in the Church of Orzhova awaits you." The scion said, gesturing for Teysa to follow her.


	2. Artful Takedown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merged from separate document into this collection.

The Dimir agent slipped through the rain cover streets of Ravnica like a ghost. He vanished around street corners and slid under display booths. He scurried up walls and across rooftops. He found himself in the merchants’ district. Here was where the slightly rich got to live while others just blocks away had to scrap for food like animals. 

All of this mattered little to the Dimir agent. He was just a tool and he knew his place in life. His needs were met so long as he did what was asked of him. 

He hid himself skillfully in the square outside of the merchant’s apartment building. His intel was good, the ghosts always were. His target should be coming through here any moment now. 

All that could be heard was the pounding rain. Sometimes it was like that here. The rain could be both friend and foe to the citizens of the cityscape. It would clean the streets of its filth but too much and the water damage would sink at least one whole block and carry it into a newly formed river. Some of them flow for years at a time. 

The Dimir agent fell into his breathing exercises. His target had made his appearance. He was a portly man with many different rings on his fat little fingers. He climbed out of the carriage and his short legs could barely reach the steps down. He paid the driver who tipped his hat and carted the large insects that drove the carriage away. 

The information on why this man had to die had not been provided. But even if it had been the Dimir agent would have still carried out his mission. He ready his blade. He wouldn’t even have to get close. 

The man paused. The Dimir agent did the same. Had he been detected? Perhaps one of those rings had magic ingrained in it. The paranoid and the wealthy usually shared many interests. 

“W-Who’s there?” The man called out. There was, of course, no reply. He fumbled for his keys as he swayed slightly. Perhaps too much wine at the overpriced dinner he had just had. The Dimir agent flexed his hand and conjured a second blade. Just in case. 

The man got his door open but it was already too late. The Dimir agent flipped into the square and in mid-spin had released his blade along with a spell that guided it to its target. The blade sunk into the back of the man’s head and he collapsed onto the ground. Blood pooled around him only to be quickly washed away. 

The Dimir agent faded away into the night, once more the ghost of death. His mission had been accomplished. His superiors would be pleased. 


	3. Alesha Who Smiles At Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merged from a separate document into this collection.

For years she fought for the commander. Valiantly charging into battle against the dragon scourge. She would lead her platoons on dangerous missions and would help strike fear into the hearts of the enemies of the Mardu Horde. The shamans told her she was destined for greatness. She didn’t want to think about what that would cost. There was always a cost.

The commander eventually fell in combat against a fierce dragon. Alesha wept silently as they carried him home on his shield. 

“Come, child. It is time.” The old shaman gestured for  Alesha to follow her. Alesha followed her to a large pyre that had been built in the middle of the village. Everyone bowed their head as she stepped forward to speak. 

“I was named his second.” Her voice was strong despite her own inner turmoil. She needed to be strong. Her people needed her to be. “But he will always be the first of my heart. He took me in when nobody else would. He guided me through my first battles and when he saw my own spark of potential he helped me fan it into a flame.” She fell quiet for a moment. Reflective. She resumed speaking. “We will stomp out this scourge. For the Horde!” She raised her sword into the air. The assembled men and women cheered. 

She nodded to the shaman. With a single guttural word from the shaman the pyre burst into brilliant flame. Soon there would be nothing but ashes. As she watched the body of her commander burn she was torn inside. She would not let this be in vain. 

After some time she was joined by another. He was a wiry man of hidden strengths. She knew he would make a good lieutenant. He stood there silently, just watching. 

“You want to know why I linger.” She said at last. The man nodded, a slight movement of his head. 

“Because he was there for me when nobody else was. He helped me become who I am. He even led the village in a death ceremony for who I used to be and we burned a pyre just like this and I was...reborn.” She turned and locked eyes with him. “I want to know the location of the dragon that did this.” The man tilted his head. “At once.” He turned and hurried off to mobilize the scouts. 

It took a few days’ time but they managed to find the dragon’s new nest. Having been the source of the disturbance of the last one, Alesha wasn’t surprised at  all that they had moved. 

The dragons caught wind of them the second day and the biggest one of the bunch stood outside their cave growling and spouting small flames every so often. Alesha stood across the little valley from it, her hand on her sword. She wasn’t easily intimidated, least of all by dragons. 

She stared at the dragon and it stared back at her. It snapped its jaws and beat its wings. It was growing restless. When it locked eyes with her she saw only destruction there. Only death. She gripped her sword. She let out a breath. She smiled at that very death. With her resounding battle-cry, they charged forward. 


End file.
